Sue’s Muse

Just in case you somehow missed the Agitator, Connection Cafe, the Nonprofit Times or Chronicle of Philanthropy Stories this week …

Convio, in conjunction with Jupiter Research asked 175.6 million adult online users in the US about their online giving intentions for the holiday season.

• 51% say they intend to give online to charities;
• 24% of these say they will give $100 or more;
• Even of those who say their financial situation is worse than the previous year, 46% say they plan to donate;
• 61% say they will give about the same amount as last year, 6% say more, 33% say less.

 Where will they donate?

• 53% to faith-based charities;
• 43% to human and social services;
• 37% to disease research and health services;
• 37% to animal welfare;
• 31% to international relief and disaster assistance.

So there just might be some happy holidays for nonprofits that prominently offer

an online giving option! 

Regards,

Sue

Take one jolly old man with a long white beard … hundreds, nay, thousands of children who have come to visit him at North Virginia’s Tysons Corner Center shopping mall for the last 18 years … and you have a Christmas tradition! 

And a tradition like this one is something we Americans dearly love! 

So when the ‘powers that be’ at Tysons Corner arbitrarily decided to change Santas after 18 years … you can just imagine the hue and the cry that arose from parents across the Washington metro area.

This is a great example of how, by using the power of the Internet, a determined group of people began a campaign to reinstate ‘their’ Santa … and how the 6th largest mall in America eventually bowed to public opinion and public pressure.

When word got out that the mall was NOT going to feature its favorite beloved Santa this year … a viral campaign began to rally supporters. Shoppers threatened to boycott the mall.  Mall executives soon took this threat seriously when they received thousands of emails, phones calls and an online petition.

For a happy ending, everyone’s favourite Santa was reinstated … parents will again bring their children to see him - and shop at Tyson’s Corner … and another great holiday tradition has been preserved.

“I think it is interesting that Tysons Corner Center totally underestimated the importance of family traditions and was totally disconnected from their customers,” Tina Rodell, from nearby Reston, was quoted in the Washington Post.

Isn’t this a lesson for us all?

Regards,

Sue

I try hard not to use this blog as a bully pulpit … rather I aim to share thoughts and ideas that assist fundraisers and marketers reach a broader audience and achieve their fundraising goals.  But when I see folks missing a basic … I feel it is time to draw attention to a technique that organizations either use extremely well or simply not at all!

What am I talking about? Pictures of people!  Yes that’s right … incorporating pictures of those you serve into hard copy and online communications. 

Hand ups everyone that knows that the majority of the population retains and responds more to visual images than to auditory clues or the written word?  If that is the case … why do I get so many hard copy appeals with no pictures of the people that the organization serves, or images that don’t relate to the accompanying copy?

This is a simple direct marketing technique that puts a very human face on a nonprofit, its programs and the people for whom that organization makes a positive and meaningful difference. 

Online does a better job of telling stories through pictures … let’s face, it the cost is certainly less … but even then I see photos that don’t necessarily relate to the accompanying copy.

My request to all of you … spend some time not only creating a compelling message, and copy that shares stories of those you serve … but also use images that visually share your story … it will pay off in the long run!

Regards,

Sue

The idea behind Cause Marketing is simple … linking a public company with a nonprofit by promoting a company’s product or service then, in exchange, a percentage of the product or service purchase goes to the nonprofit.

This all began with a little company called American Express back in 1983.  The goal was to raise funds to restore the Statue of Liberty … in describing the campaign, Amex called the effort ‘Cause Related Marketing’ (CRM).  

The simple premise was that every time someone made a purchase using their American Express card, a percentage of that purchase would go to restore the Statue of Liberty.  It was certainly a win – win situation … additional funds were raised for the cause and Amex saw an increase of 45% in new card holders!

Cause Marketing programs have grown substantially over the last 25 years … some of the best examples – Susan G. Koman for the Cure. Just walk in most stores during the month of October and I dare you to find a product that isn’t “pink.”

Also, LiveStrong – from the Lance Armstrong Foundation, including laptops and sporting gear … and the American Red Cross, that has used about everything from M & M’s to Maglites® partnerships.

I can hear you now … well, that’s great Sue, but my nonprofit is simply not as big as those you mentioned. So - now for the good news … YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE!

It you haven’t researched the internet lately, you might not be aware of a website called www.goodshop.com.  The site promotes over 60,000 nonprofits in partnership with over 700 big-names stores.  For every product purchased, GoodShop will automatically donate up to 37% of the purchase to the selected charity.

Just enter the name of the organization you support and then purchase your goods.  If you don’t find your organization listed … GoodShop has a link at the bottom of the page listing requirements for nonprofits and how to apply.  After a quick search I found most of the nonprofits that are on my donation list are already included.

What a great opportunity to promote on your website to constituents and site visitors – by sharing how they can help while shopping during the coming holiday season.  I mean after all in this tough economy … doesn’t every little bit help?

Regards,

Sue

How do you communicate with friends and family … do you send emails, or are you a part of the larger movement of folks who communicate almost exclusively through social networks?

Okay, so you may use both … but most likely one more than the other, depending on your age group.

We continue to see an increase in the use of social networking sites for communicating – according to the latest stats:

            ·         53% of those 18 to 24

            ·         42% of those 25 to 34

Why?  The most mentioned reasons are:

    ·         More Messages in Email Boxes Viewed as Irrelevant

    ·         Social Media Sites empower users to Interact with the brand on

            their terms

In a recent briefing with eMarketer … MySpace CEO and co-founder Chris DeWolfe shares that MySpace is a next generation portal – not simply a social network.

So whether you send emails … post personal pages … write a blog … or ask a simple question through Twitter … you are connecting and sharing. 

And with that deep thought … I wish you each a wonderful weekend!

Regards,

Sue

Like many of you, I have been inundated with offers for webinars from a variety of associations like DMANF and AFP to NTEN, from periodicals such as Fundraising Success and eMarketer, to the Chronicle of Philanthropy.  Then there are all the webinar offers by companies for existing and prospective clients.

These webinars offer an hour or so’s glimpse into online strategy, building your house file both on and off line, creating capital campaigns, planned giving, making effective use of Google Grants … you name it, there is a webinar about it.  So much good stuff - so little time!

So what’s a girl to do?  Probably the same as most of you … select those that (A) - fit the budget, or (B) - are free! and, of course, (C) - RELEVANT to myself and my clients!

Online publications like eMarketer are now offering webinars to discuss how effective a webinar can be in providing lead generation, targeting a narrow market and promoting their brand.  And even though they are focusing on small business, the points being made are applicable to nonprofits.

How?  I am currently working with a client to create and promote their own nonprofit webinar to reach out to select constituents … sharing through an online dialogue with their CEO what the organization is doing, its vision for the coming year, addressing questions and sharing what supporters can do do to help. 

This is a fantastic opportunity - to use technology for a more personal cultivation and stewardship opportunity than simply sending outbound email updates or hard copy letters.   Folks will actually get to hear from the CEO and ask questions - talk about interactive!

Of course you can’t simply run up a webinar … it takes thought and planning … but what a great opportunity to share with donors and supporters the wonderful things you are doing at your own nonprofit … how you continue to address issues … and make a difference.

Thanks to technology, you don’t have to trade your kingdom for a webinar, but you can surely employ one to enhance your kingdom - okay, your nonprofit!

Regards, with apologies to Shakespeare!

Sue

Bail out … rescue … recession … 7 trillion lost in retirement savings … economic crisis - no matter where you have been during the last 2 weeks, these have been the headlines.  Not just here in the USA, but around the world.   

While overseas recently, I was asked by an international nonprofit - “Which area of fundraising do you think is going to be most affected by the current economic crisis - individuals, foundations or corporations?” 

My answer - “All of them.”  

Every fundraising blog, periodical, and online publication has been talking about nothing else for weeks.  And each has given advice on what they consider to be the areas that organizations should give top priority to in order to make revenue goals - including yours truly.

So what can you do?  Ensure you do the essentials!

First, strengthen your relationship to your current donors.  (These are the folks that will be there through good times and bad - so make sure they know how their gift has and will continue to make a difference.)

Second, continue to build a strong case for support.  (Why is your organization the best in dealing with your cause or issue?)

Third, make sure that you are targeting the right message to the right audience.  (This would be a “duh” if it weren’t for the numerous times I have seen the same message going out to everyone, in the hope that something sticks!)

Fourth, change strategies as warranted - do more of what is working and less of what isn’t.  (Make certain that your senior management is on board with being able to make adjustments quickly.)

Finally, be sure that you make it as easy as possible for a donor to give. (Might sound simple - but you would be surprised how difficult it can be to give online or in the mail due to the convoluted systems and processes employed by some nonprofits.)

This has to be the toughest economic time I can remember in my 25 years as a fundraiser - right now we are all writing in the sand. 

Regards,

Sue

Yes I know that I shared I would not be returning to the blog until a week from today … but I just opened my email and found the following from Seth Godin about a great fundraising opportunity at Squidoo. 

Here’s a great chance to join others and donate to your favorite charity … with a simply vote … no money required!

Take care and have a great week!

Regards,

Sue

 Raising money for charity

Squidoo is giving $2 per vote (up to $80,000 total) to charity. Visit this page, pick your charity and you’re done. There is no catch. One vote per person, feel free to organize mass group voting.

Thanks to every single person who helped us raise this money. More than 300,000 lensmasters and more than 80,000,000 visitors to the site contributed to our ability to make such a substantial contribution.

A nickel, a dollar, a dime… it adds up, drip, drip, drip. If the real world is about big wins, the web is about a long tail of little victories.

PS If you visit the Squidblog, you’ll see this post from Megan: